Apple Inc. (AAPL) to Build R&D Center in Japan

Published By Blake Audett at October 15, 2016 09:32 am

Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) is keen to bring in more and more talented people on board. And this time, the company has cited Japan as its most recent destination to build an R&D center. CEO Tim Cook, who is on his visit to Japan, announced that his company would be opening up a new center in Yokohama near Tokyo. The R&D Center is expected to be completed by December this year.

Tim Cook, in a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said that he considers Japan as an important country for Apple and will continue to work on great things together. Mr. Abe also hoped that the Cupertino Company would work with other manufacturing companies in Japan in order to help the technological boom in the country.

The R&D facility that Apple will build in Japan was described as the “largest facility in Asia” where the company would carry out extensive research and development program. Apple acquired a Panasonic factory with a size of 269,000 square feet and will change it into its R&D facility.

Just like its other facilities, the company will work to “go green” by reducing the energy consumptions and also use recycled water. Apple also plans to plant trees on the roof of the facility and will tap local talent in the fields of health, vehicles, and material sciences so that their expertise in these regions could be used.

It looks as if Apple is currently on an R&D spree and has expanded its R&D operations in different parts of the world. Recently, it announced its R&D Center in Shenzhen China which is expected to be completed by this year. The center will work as a bridge for the company’s engineering and operations team. The iPhone maker already has R&D facilities in Sweden, France, Israel, and the UK.

Tim Cook in his visit to Japan has also slammed virtual reality saying that “there is no replacement for human contact.”